Missing
by Polgara218
Summary: Sharpay Evans and her brother both are agents for the CIA. When Ryan goes missing Sharpay must work with the last person she ever thought she would see again. With the clock ticking down Sharpay has to put aside her personal feelings in order to save Ryan
1. Welcome to my life

Disclaimer: I own none of the High School musical characters only the characters I create.

Everyone at East High had expected me to go off to pursue acting. They had expected to see me in movies and on Broadway. Of course as Sharpay Evans I always did what people least expected and in this case I had decided to abandon my sheet music and costumes and train to become a CIA agent.

The Evens twins had always done everything together. So when I told Ryan what I was doing he had agreed to go along with it. The two of us had both trained to become field agents and after 18 months of training we were both promoted to the field.

My life wasn't a thing like I had once imagined it would be but I wasn't really disappointed in it. I was a natural at just about everything they had taught us and had quickly picked up on the different languages. Ryan had a natural talent for solving puzzles which had helped us through many situations and my acting skills had become a necessary part of the job. The two of us both seemed to have found a job we both liked and could do together.

I was on my way to Director Johnson's office. He had asked me to meet with him as soon as I got here. It wasn't normal to meet with him in his office. I was used to meeting in the conference room for briefings.

As a matter of fact I had never actually been in his office.

I stopped in front of the office door of our director. I knocked before entering.

His office had cream colored walls and was bare except for his desk and two leather chairs.

He was sitting behind his desk typing on his lap-top completely oblivious to me.

He was probably in his early 40s. he had dark brown hair and brown eyes. A series of scars decorated his arms and an especially distinctive jagged scar from his hair line to his eyebrows was a reminder from his own days as an agent

"You wanted to see me, Director?" I asked shutting the door behind me.

He glanced up from what he was doing and closed the lap-top screen.

" Yes, Agent Evans. You're aware we had your brother in Madrid investigating the assassination of two of our U.S. diplomats?" he asked with an edge to his voice.

"Yes sir." I replied a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

" The last contact we had with him was interrupted and after further investigation we have concluded that your brother is missing"

He didn't even try to soften the blow.

As I tried to comprehend what he was telling me I found that I couldn't find any way to process this information. I found myself getting dizzy and the walls started spinning.

The last thing I remember is Director Johnson's voice telling me to sit down and then everything went black.


	2. Awakenings

I awoke with a throbbing headache and was pretty sure my shoulder was dislocated. I could feel some kind of liquid surrounding me. Blood I thought with a shudder.

"Get a hold of yourself, Ryan." I muttered to myself.

I forced my eyes open and found with some surprise that I was in a cave. Water dripped from the walls and a small pool was inches from my feet.

The only light came from small cracks in the ceiling that as much water as light came through.

Suddenly I heard gunshots. As I tried to get to my feet I found that I was tied securely to the floor. Using a sharp rock I worked to cut through the rope. If someone was coming I wanted to be prepared.

As I got through the last strand of rope I heard footsteps. I looked around for any place to hide and came up empty. The footsteps came closer and closer until they turned the corner.

"Hello, Ryan." Came a voice that filled me with dread.

********

I had only fainted once in my life when Ryan had fallen from a tree and gotten a compound fracture. It was one of those experiences I had never forgotten.

I don't know what's worse the feeling of the room spinning around you or the headache you get from hitting the floor.

I peeled one eye open and looked at my surroundings. The director was sitting at my side along with his secretary, Vera Hall.

Vera had her strawberry red hair in a bun at the nape of her neck and was looking down at me with her grey eyes. She was in her early 30s and had been working here for as long as I had.

I sat up and in a rush all of the memories of what he had told me came back.

"Why don't you go home and take the rest of the day off?" Director Johnson suggested calmly.

"What's being done to find Ryan?" I asked ignoring his question.

"We have every agent in that area looking for him but without any idea where he is we don't know where to focus our search."

"He was in Madrid, shouldn't you start there." I asked

"His last communication didn't come from Madrid," he told me, " It came from somewhere in France."


	3. Unsettled

"Where in France?" I asked

"We don't know Agent Evans." The irritation in his voice was hard to miss.

I suppressed the urge to start yelling.

"If you'll have someone book the soonest flight to Madrid I'll start there and see if I can find where he went." I said calmly.

"Agent Evans, I know how much you want to find your brother but when you're personally involved with a mission people tend to make mistakes. Mistakes that can cost people their lives." Vera finally spoke up.

" We're willing to let you go however, if you have a partner." The Director cut in.

"I'll talk to the other agents and find someone to go with me." I told them.

"Actually, we've already assigned you a partner."

"Who?" I asked afraid of the answer.

" He's one of our best agents. He started training 3 months after you and was sent into deep undercover missions as soon as he graduated. We've had him in undercover operations ever since. He has a record almost as good as yours. He just finished a mission and will be here tonight. He'll be in debriefing tomorrow morning and we'll brief him as soon as he's finished. We'll introduce the two of you at about 4:00 tomorrow and let you talk. We can have you on the late night flight tomorrow."

Johnson had a habit of deciding that everything was settled before waiting for your response.

" Sir, debriefing takes hours. Hours that I could be looking for my brother. Why don't you let me go ahead and he can meet up with me when he's done."

"I'm sorry Agent Evans but I can't let you go alone. We have agents already working on finding your brother. After your new partner is done with things here then you can go and join the search."

" Nobody knows Ryan like I do. They could be missing something important, something that only Ryan's twin would notice. We don't know how long they'll keep him alive. Every second counts."

" I'm sorry Agent Evans but you aren't going until your new partner can go with you. We'll have people watching you until you leave so don't even try to sneak away. Ms. Hall has a file with the information you'll need about your brother that you can study while your waiting to go. Report to me before you leave." He dismissed me with a wave of his hand.

I followed Vera into the hall toward her desk. She handed me the file and with a sympathetic smile told me to go home.

I walked through the parking garage to my red convertible.

I had gotten rid of the pink one as soon as I left Albuquerque. It was just a reminder of the girl I had once been.

Tucked inside my windshield wiper was a manila envelope. I moved toward the car and grabbed the envelope. A chill went through me as soon as my hand touched the paper.


	4. Ransom

I carefully checked my car for tampering before getting in and starting the engine. I looked at the envelope debating weather I should look in it now or take it home. I pushed a stray strand of blond hair from my face absently as I contemplated my next action.

Curiosity overcame good sense and I grabbed the envelope from the seat. I slipped one perfectly manicured fingernail beneath the flap and opened the envelope. Dumping the contents into the passenger seat I swept my nail file bug detecting device across the paper and envelope carefully checking for bugs before I looked through them. Finding nothing I reached for the page and carefully lifted it so I could see the content.

I looked at the image on the paper. I could feel the page slip from my fingers as I took in the content. It fluttered to the car floor and settled there.

I stopped breathing and I wouldn't have been surprised if my heart stopped for those few seconds while I was in shock.

I grabbed the bundle of papers from the passenger seat and retrieved the paper from the car floor. Pausing to grab my purse I hurried back to the entrance.

My mind raced ahead miles a minute as I planned my strategy going over everything I knew.

If they had been able to get to her car they could have easily broken into her apartment. I had checked the papers but what about my car? Was it bugged? How did they know where I worked? Where I lived? What car I drove?

Someone would have to check all of those things and possibly they would need surveillance at my apartment.

The elevator opened to my floor and I walked through the office. I entered the briefing room where a group of agents sat. I dropped the papers in a pile in front of Director Johnson.

"Every second counts." I repeated my earlier statement as he looked at the same page I had looked at 5 minutes ago.

"This changes things." he said.

"This changes everything." I shot back ice coming into my voice.

There staring back at us was a picture of Ryan. He was laying somewhere unconscious and tied down. His sandy hair was caked with mud and his face was decorated with bruises. I piece of gauze was tied around his head and a blood stain was soaking through the thin cover.

In large letters printed across the picture it said:

How much is he worth? 10,000,000 dollars. Will be in touch.

As I looked at the writing on the page all I saw was my brother's life pass before my eyes. I could see a million memories of walking through the halls of East High together and of acting together. I could see us celebrating birthdays together, going on road trips, and making late night stops at the 24 hour ice cream parlor whenever one of us was in a bad mood. Ryan was more than just my brother he was my best friend and my twin.

I had ten days to save my brothers life. Ten days until they would kill him ransom or no ransom.

I closed my eyes wishing this all to go away. When I opened them again nothing had changed except my resolve. I would not lose my brother if I had to go to the ends of the Earth and back.


	5. Falling

The Director had sent an entire swat team over to my apartment and my car had been completely searched.

I however have been put on lockdown. I wasn't to leave the building until my flight tomorrow night. I had my cell phone in my hand and was waiting for them to contact me. An entire team of tech people were on standby waiting to trace the call as soon as it came.

I can't remember falling asleep but the next thing I knew I was waking to the sound of my cell phone ringing.

"Hello?" I answered it trying to hide my grogginess.

"Is this Sharpay Evans?" I hollow sounding voice asked.

A voice scrambler.

I could hear the typing of the tech team as they tried to trace the call.

"Yes, who is this?" I tried to keep my voice from wavering.

" If you want your brother back alive you'll put the money in this account." He listed off some numbers which I quickly scribbled o a pad of paper.

"You have ten days to deposit the money or your brother is dead." he said. The phone clicked signaling his hanging up.

I looked over at the tech team.

"It came from a pay phone in Romania." one man said looking up from the computer screen.

"We can guess Ryan's nowhere near there." I thought aloud.

The man nodded and looked at her thoughtfully.

"You should get some sleep it will be a long day tomorrow." the man said quietly looking at me.

I nodded absently before heading to one of the break rooms where I curled up on the couch and closed my eyes hoping for a few hours of sleep.

*************

I woke up much later than I had planned to. It must be the stress from the day before I thought as I headed down to the locker room.

I took a quick shower and using the extra things I always leave in my locker I blow dried my hair and applied my make up. I dressed in a pair of black dress pants and put on a red long sleeve shirt. I braided my long blond hair and let it hang down my back.

I looked at myself in the mirror so different from the young Sharpay in High School.

I pulled my dress jacket on and headed up to the office.

My eyes wandered around the office until a pair of blue eyes met mine.

"Bolton?" I snapped


	6. Up in the Air

"Bolton?" I snapped.

His eyes fluttered across the room and landed on me. He seemed to take a double take at the girl standing in front of him.

He hadn't changed a bit from High School. He had the same deep blue eyes and the same sandy hair.

"Sharpay?" he asked recognition coming into his eyes.

"I see you two met each other." Director Johnson said coming around the corner.

Then the pieces clicked together. Troy was my new partner.

I covered the distance between the three of us and stood in front of them with my arms folded.

"I don't think this will work Director." I said

"That is where you are wrong Agent Evans. The two of you are the best we have and together you might actually have a chance at getting your brother back."

"Agent Evans?" Troy asked blankly.

"This is your best agent?" I asked incredulously.

"Agent Bolton if you will come with me we can finish briefing you and you and Agent Evans can be on your way." The director interrupted.

"We weren't supposed to leave until tonight." I reminded Johnson.

"Things have changed." was his only reply as the two of them walked off.

"Great," I hissed under my breath as I turned to go collect my things for our trip. "Just great."

*************

I was going over the papers they had given me before I left trying to focus on what Ryan had been planning on doing. It was slightly hard to focus with Troy staring at me from across the isle.

"Can I help you?" I asked shooting him a glare.

"I doubt it." he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" I met his gaze.

"Nothing." he said turning back to his own papers.

This was going to be a long flight I thought leaning back against my seat.


	7. Down to Earth

_I got my first review!!!_

**Ryan** (continued from chapter 2)

"Hello, Ryan." Came a voice that filled me with dread.

Standing In front of me was one of the most known assassins in the world.

"Vulture." I greeted him.

He had black hair and a flawless face, except for one jagged scar that ran the length of his cheek, compliments of Sharpay.

He rubbed his cheek as if reading where my thoughts where going.

" I wanted to abduct your sister," he told me, "but for some reason the boss wants you."

" Why me?" I asked him keeping my voice as steady as I could.

" I have no idea, you are worthless to me." he added maliciously.

In that instant I knew I had little hope of making it out of this alive.

Another gun shot pierced the silence of the cave.

"Idiots!" he exclaimed walking back the way he had come.

I smiled slightly, he had forgotten to secure me. I took another look around my surroundings and found that the pool wasn't actually a pool but a small lake. It hadn't taken over the entire cavern despite all the water that entered from the ceiling. There had to be a place where the water flowed out.

I waded into the water moving out until it was at my waist. Then I dived under and hoped I could find the exit before Vulture realized I was gone.

I reached the end of the lake and came to the surface to get a breath of air. Then I swam along the wall feeling the side for any way the water could exit.

I found a hole just big enough for me to enter and swam under letting the current take me.

*********

"You changed the flight plans without talking to me!" I yelled. I was beyond furious.

The few people who were exiting the terminal looked over at us as they heard my yelling.

"Sharpay," he said patiently as if talking to a child, " His last transmission didn't come from Madrid it came from France."

"We don't know form where in France it came from. What do you plan on doing, going to every city!"

"I was going to use my contacts here to see if they had heard from him."

"No, we're going to use my contacts. If we lose my brother it's your fault." I snapped and turned heading to get my luggage.


	8. Calm before the storm

_I'd like to say thanks to the people who have reviewed. _

We sat at a phone booth waiting for Troy's contact to call him back. I had calmed down, mostly, from earlier but I still wasn't talking to Troy. He didn't seem to mind my silence though. I had a feeling he still thought of me as the ice queen of East High.

"When's your contact calling you back." I questioned sitting on the bench just outside the booth.

"I don't know." Troy sounded discouraged.

Despite my irritation with him it seemed like an almost instinct to comfort him.

"He must just be busy." I supplied looking away.

He didn't look convinced.

"Do you know this is the most civil conversation we've had since I saw you again?" he asked sitting down next to me.

"I guess." I leaned my head back looking at the sky.

"How did you become an agent?"

"18 months of training." I answered smiling.

"That's not exactly what I meant" he told me.

I ignored him.

"What about you? Why didn't you take all those basketball scholarships people kept throwing at you?" I looked at him and our eyes met.

"I guess I just didn't want to do what everyone wanted me to do. I wanted to make my own decisions." he answered honestly.

"I guess we have one thing in common." I told him.

Just then the phone rang. I jumped and he got up to get it.

"Hello?" Troy answered.

There was a buzz on the other end.

"Sorry wrong number." Troy said.

He listened for several minutes nodding occasionally.

"Thanks, I owe you" he said into the phone.

He hung up and looked over at me still sitting on the bench.

"Come on, Sharpay. We have an appointment to change our appearances.

I slowly got up and followed him around the corner and down the street.

I touched a strand of hair that had fallen out. I had a feeling I wouldn't be a blond much longer.

"My hair color better go back to normal." I told him walking faster to match his pace.

He smiled as he led me around another corner.

Suddenly gunshots pierced the silence. Troy pulled me into an ally and the two of us reached for our guns at the exact same time.


	9. Voltures and Serpents

"Fight or flight?" I asked edging my way along the wall.

Troy took the other side and mimicked my movements.

"What do you think?" he asked.

That was the first time he had ever asked my opinion on anything. I fought to resist the urge to smile.

"Did you see how many shooters?" I paused tightening my grip on the gun.

"2 at least." he told me.

"Let's get to your contact. The Director doesn't need two more missing or dead agents."

"I'll take care of you." he told me there was a fire in his eyes. I recognized it. He liked the action just as much as Ryan and I did.

" I wasn't worried about myself. I can hold my own in a fight." I told him.

He didn't even acknowledge what I had said.

He finally turned and we headed down the opposite exit.

We both surveyed the empty streets before turning and hurrying around the next corner. After several more twists and turns we finally came to a door. He knocked on it three times and then waited 30 seconds and rang the bell.

The door opened and a woman in her early 50s opened the door. Her hair was completely grey but she still had a kind of youngness around her. She smiled as she looked at us and ushered us in.

"Sharpay, this is Pepper." he introduced the woman.

"It's nice to meet you." I told her shaking her outstretched hand.

"Come with me." she told us. She led us down a hall and up a flight of stairs. She then brought us into a bedroom and traced her hand along the wall. When she found what she was looking for she pressed something in and a panel slid aside.

Behind it was a winding staircase that wound downward.

She flicked a switch and a bear light bulb illuminated the stairs. We followed her down and came to a stop in a kind of family room. There were several doors that led off from it and what looked like a control center on one wall.

She took us to one of the doors which led into a room that looked like a cross between a dressing room and a hair salon.

"I've been doing hair for years." she reassured me in a warm voice when she saw where I was looking.

She started with Troy dying his hair a dark black and trimming it. She gave him a box of brown contact lenses and a black leather wallet. Then he walked to another door to change.

I sat down in the chair and looked at her.

"You promise the color will come out in 20 washes?" I asked.

She smiled again. "Twenty washes." she assured me and spun the chair around.

She cut my hair so it was shoulder length and then died it a dark brown. She gave me green colored lenses and handed me a red purse.

I glanced in it and found at least a dozen fake ids, passports, and even a marriage certificate. There was money in the wallet and several different credit cards.

"All paid for by the CIA." she told me.

I nodded and grabbed a pair of jeans and a red shirt from a clothes rack. I could see her packing a suitcase with clothes that would fit Troy and I. We had lost our luggage when we had to run.

I changed quickly and then looked in the mirror. I didn't even recognize myself with dark brown hair and green eyes. I pulled a bag of make-up from the purse and applied it before exiting the room.

Troy and Pepper where talking quietly neither aware of me.

"Are you sure?" Troy asked

She nodded slowly.

"Well that should make things interesting." He told her.

I announced my presence in a calm even voice, "We should get going."

They both looked up at me and shared a look.

"Sharpay, the Director wants you to call him. He received some new Intel." Troy said

Pepper brought a cell-phone over and handed it to me.

"Hello?" I said into it.

"We've received news from an agent. They've spotted Vulture." The Director said.

*********

Ryan sat in one of the empty caverns soaking wet. He had made his way through the tunnel and found himself in another cavern.

Now he was cold wet and he had no idea where he was.

He tried to think back through his memory to what they could want from him. It couldn't be from his most recent mission it was just routine stuff they had him doing. What if they were behind the assassinations, though. What if he was close to something they didn't want him to find. He thought back to when they had abducted him. He had been in France meeting someone who said they had information on the assassinations. He had walked down a street and someone had hit him in the head from behind.

He felt his head and found a bandage rapped around it. That explains the headache.

He laid down on the cold floor. He would worry about getting out tomorrow.

He dreamed of serpents coming from the water and pulling him under. He couldn't breath.

Then he woke up. The water was rising he realized. The entire cavern would fill. The water was already up to his knees and was inching upward. He looked around there had to be a way out other than the way he had came.


	10. Alliances

Sharpay dreamed of Ryan he was someplace cold and wet. She woke up and shuddered. Dismissing it as stress she pulled back the covers of the hotel bed and headed into the bathroom.

She started the shower and walked out to grab her suitcase.

Troy was in the room down the hall probably still sleeping she though as she glanced at the clock on the wall.

7 more days until they wanted the ransom for Ryan. She thought about the dream and then dismissed it again.

She took a shower and wrapped herself in a soft white hotel robe. Combing her now brown hair she entered back into the room.

There was a soft knock on the door. I grabbed my gun from under the pillow and moved slowly toward the door. I opened it halfway hiding the gun from view.

There stood Troy all dressed and ready to go.

"Is something going on?" I asked quietly letting him slip into the room.

"Nothing unusual." he told me sitting in one of the chairs.

I went back into the bathroom and finished getting ready to go. As soon as I finished I paused at the door.

He was on the tail end of a conversation on his company cell-phone.

"What do you mean Gabriella?" he asked someone on the other end of the phone.

I couldn't help the tinge of jealousy that went through me.

"It's just leftover feelings from High School." I told myself quietly as I stepped from the bathroom. I didn't really believe that though.

***********

I had an inch of air left at the of the cave. I dived back down hoping to find another exit but came up with nothing. I came to the top again taking another breath and then I saw it.

The water had lifted me high enough to see another tunnel I swam toward it just as the last of my air was gone.

I made it to the tunnel and swam through it. The entire tunnel was filled with water and my lungs were burning from lack of air. Finally I reached the end and swam to the top. I sucked in a breath of air. The relief was instant as soon as the air hit my lungs.

I could hear voices talking a short way away. I held my head above the water and saw a group of men gathered and talking. A girl with dark hair was working at a computer. She stood up and said something to the men. Then she turned enough that I could see her face. There working with the men who wanted me dead was Gabriella Montez.


	11. Mixed Feelings

I hadn't talked to Troy since his phone call. I just sat there stewing in silence. I could feel Troy's eyes on me and I turned and faced the other direction.

"Sharpay, are you okay." he asked quietly.

"Fine." I said trying to hide the sarcasm in my voice.

He still heard it.

"You can talk to me." he said.

He lifted one hand and cupped the side of my face turning it so he could look into my eyes.

I found that gazing into his eyes all of my acting skills seemed to disappear. I hoped that my contact lenses hid the emotion in my own eyes.

I glanced down avoiding his gaze. When it was clear he wasn't going to release me I struggled to find an excuse. Finally I settled for a half truth.

"I'm worried about Ryan." I told him.

"He's okay." Troy said with such certainty I found it hard to doubt him.

"How do you know?" I asked him getting lost in his eyes.

"You would know if something was wrong."

I thought back to the dream but quickly lost my train of thought.

I could feel Troy's face moving closer to mine. He was just inches from my face when the flight attendant's voice shattered the mood.

We both sat back at the same time watching as the plain descended to the ground.

I had no idea what had just happened. I wished Ryan were here. He had always helped me figure things out.

********

I watched as she talked with the men as if they were old friends. I couldn't believe my eyes Gabriella Montez was working with a group of assassins intent on killing me and my sister.

I looked around for a place to go and rest. I wouldn't last much longer in the water and I certainly couldn't go to shore. There in the middle of the lake was a rock that was tall enough to reach above the water.

I swam to the rock and pulled myself onto it. I laid down and tried to get some rest. I had a feeling I would need it.

Although I was tired my mind refused to stop working. It was going through every memory I had of Gabriella looking for some warning that she would come to work with a group of assassins. Sharpay had known that Gabriella was bad news the moment she entered East High. At the time I had thought it was just jealousy from the attention she got from Troy but now I wondered weather it was that other sense she seemed to have.

I wondered what Sharpay was doing now. If she knew I was missing she was probably worried sick. Or she was looking for me she didn't like to just sit and wait for someone else to do something.

I looked over towards the shore and saw the men leaving. Gabriella went back to her work on the computer. She was humming loudly, probably trying to fill the silence. The song carried across the water and I could feel myself getting drowsy. Finally I closed my eyes and fell asleep.


	12. My fake Fiancé

The plane landed on time in London. We were going where Vulture had last been seen. I wondered weather he even had anything to do with the abduction of my brother.

After collecting our luggage Troy and I stopped to talk through our next move.

"We should check into the hotel he stayed at and see if the staff has any information." I suggested glancing around the area for suspicious behavior.

Troy nodded he had seemed distant since the plane ride.

I watched as a man weaved his way through the crowd towards us. It was only when he was ten feet away that I recognized him.

"Johnny!" I exclaimed running to give him a hug.

"Hey, Shar." he greeted.

Johnny was my age with dark brown hair and green eyes. Ryan and I both had been partnered with him for a number of missions.

"Let my guess, the director sent you." I said taking a step back.

"After I made him let me come. It seemed dangerous to only send two agents after Vulture. Especially with the grudge he has for you."

Troy was watching us closely. I got an odd sense of satisfaction from the look in his eyes.

He handed me a white envelope and found two new ids. One was for Ms. Hallie Brooks

And the other was for Mr. Jackson Cartwright. I glanced over the information in the letter he had sent. My eyes caught on one piece of information. They were engaged.

I forced myself to be calm and handed the information over to Troy. He looked through and didn't seem distraught by any of the information.

"I get to be your brother." Johnny said smiling as he watched the two of us.

We got to the hotel and checked into three different rooms playing our roles to perfection.

I went up to my room and unpacked my suitcase.

There was a knock on the door and I went to answer it. There stood Troy. I moved aside to let him in.

"I got you a ring from the local jeweler." he told me opening a black velvet case.

Inside was a ring that was easily two carrots. The band itself was gold.

"It's beautiful." I told him looking up into his eyes.

"I thought you'd like it." he said smiling.

He slipped it from the box and put it on my finger.

"Perfect fit." he told me.

"Perfect." I agreed.

Just then a knock interrupted us. I sighed and went to answer it.

"Hey." Johnny said entering.

"Why don't you come in." I muttered under my breath.

********

Ryan woke up on the rock in the middle of the lake. His teeth where chattering and his clothes where still soaking wet. If he stayed like this much longer he would certainly get hypothermia.

He looked over at the shore and found it empty. Did he dare risk going there and trying to escape? He contemplated it for several minutes. If he stayed here any longer he risked getting hypothermia or even frostbite. If one of those didn't get him he would starve to death.

He got up and slowly slid back into the freezing water.

It took him 10 minutes to reach the shore even swimming his fastest. He listened for any sound before emerging from the water and moving through the cavern to the tunnel. He walked slowly through it and at the end found a room with bunks.

He looked through a trunk on one of the guys bed and found some dry clothes to change into. He stuffed his own clothes under the bunk and hurried into the next section of cave. As he moved farther and farther the light began to get brighter.

Just as he was about to turn a corner he heard voices coming his way. He quickly hurried back the way he had come.

The voices were getting closer and closer. He needed somewhere to hide.

He reached the bunk room and dived under one of the bunks. Pushing himself as far back as he could he listened and waited.


	13. Dreams and Danger

I watched Troy as he talked to the hotel staff. I could easily see how he had come to be considered the best. He was able to make people relax and he was able to act almost at well as I could.

For the last few hours we had switched off questioning people for information and had come up with nothing.

Johnny was meeting with local contacts to see if they had heard anything.

It had been a long day and we were getting nowhere.

I pulled out a file and began going over my nails. I had broken some of them during our adventures. The nail polish was chipped and my nails looked nothing like they had before this started.

I wondered weather I myself looked anything like I had before Ryan went missing. My hair was still a dark brown and I wore the green contacts. My nails were a mess and despite how much make up I wore I couldn't entirely hide the bags under my eyes from lack of sleep.

Troy finished his conversation and came over to me.

"He covered his tracks completely, I don't think were going to find anything." he told me.

"We don't even know if Vulture has anything to do with Ryan's disappearance." I added.

We sat there in silence for several minutes.

"I'm going to my room for a shower and some much needed rest." I told him getting up.

"I'll come and get you if anything happens." he said starring into space.

I entered my room and started the shower before going to grab fresh clothes. The sound of the water was what triggered the memory of my dream.

I thought back going over the details. It had been bitter cold and there had been water. That described at least a dozen places I mused as I took my shower.

I braided my now brown hair and pulled on a pair of pajamas. I laid down on the bed and thought over everything I remembered of the dream. Before I could really focus I was fast asleep.

*********

Ryan was still curled up under the bunks in the makeshift room of the cave. He couldn't remember how long he had been there but it felt like hours. He could still hear the voices but was too tired to focus on the words.

He had found a pile of blankets stored under the bunk and had finally warmed up. From a stash of food he had snuck some dinner and was the most comfortable he had been in days.

Despite the fact that he was comfortable he still knew how close he was to them finding him. He shuddered at the information that they could get from him.

Suddenly he was alert as he heard the mention of his sisters name.

"She followed the trail I left her perfectly." I heard Vulture say.

"She'll never find her brother in time." an unfamiliar voice added.

"We have to find him ourselves." Gabriella pointed out.

"He couldn't have gotten far." the same unfamiliar voice said.

"The boss won't be happy you lost him." Gabriella continued ignoring the mans voice.

"You do your work and we'll do ours." the venom in Vulture's voice was impossible to miss.

I could hear someone leave and the others started talking in whispers.

Suddenly someone came toward the bunk. I could see the hand as it reached under.


	14. Caught

When I woke up I could see the streams of light coming from the window alerting me to a new day. I had slept much longer than I thought I would.

I got up and got dressed in a blue long sleeved shirt and a new pair of jeans. I brushed through my hair and pulled it back into a pony tail. I put in the contact lenses and did my make-up.

When I emerged from my room I found that the halls were empty and quiet. I must have been up earlier than I thought.

As I walked down the hall suddenly the lights flickered and went out. I immediately pressed my back against the wall and listened for any noise. I could hear soft even foot steps moving down the hall.

I barely breathed as the footsteps went past me and stopped at my room. They jingled my doorknob trying to get it to open.

I contemplated my options for several seconds before soundlessly moving up behind the intruder.

Before I could do anything I felt a knife at my throat.

An accomplice I realized with a sinking feeling.

***********

I could see the hand moving around searching for something. It was coming straight for me. I grabbed the box with the stash of food and placed it between me and the hand. As the hand moved closer it stopped at the box and pulled it out.

I quietly let out a sigh of relief.

The hand shoved the box under again and I heard two people leave.

Should I risk another attempt at escaping or stay here? I debated my two options looking for the best one. I knew that my chances of surviving underneath this bed weren't very good.

I slipped from under the bed and headed through the tunnel in the opposite direction of where the three of them had gone. I stopped at the corner and listened for any sounds.

As I turned the corner I came face to face with Vulture.

He smiled maliciously and I felt the sting of a needle in my neck.

I didn't even try to fight the darkness that suddenly closed in around me.


	15. Decisions

"Don't move." a jagged voice snarled in my ear.

The knife at my neck was digging into my skin.

The person at my door turned to see who was behind them. They both were wearing all black down to a mask that covered their faces.

I suddenly pushed myself into the intruder holding the knife. He lost his balance and toppled to the floor. The knife flew from his hand and skittered down the hall.

I got up and ran for the nearest exit. I could hear the pursuers coming after me. I entered the street and continued running around corners and down streets until I was sure they weren't following me.

I stopped to catch my breath and leaned against the wall.

I turned and went back the way I came. When I reached the hotel I paused. What if they were waiting for me to come back?

I crossed the street to a busy café and sat at an empty table. That allowed me to watch the door of the hotel. I watched the clock as an hour went by and then two hours.

"Troy and Johnny should be up now." I murmured to myself.

Had they been captured? The thought hadn't even occurred to me. What would I do if they had? Could I try to find them and my brother on my own.

I thought through several scenarios and wondered what I should do now. I couldn't risk getting caught by going back in there.

I waited and another hour went by. I couldn't stay here forever. I needed to keep moving if someone was after me. I couldn't abandon my partner, though.

What was I going to do?

**********

When I opened my eyes again I wasn't in the cave anymore. The only sign I had of ever being in the cave was the dirt that covered me from head to toe.

I looked around at my surroundings. I was in a room that looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years. It was empty except for the chair I was handcuffed to. There was one large window that had several broken panes and from what I could tell there was a river directly outside the window.

I looked down and saw that they had handcuffed my feet to the chair as well.

I heard the sound of voices outside the door and then the door began to slowly open.


	16. Betrayed

I heard the sound of voices outside the door and then the door began to slowly open.

"Hello, Ryan." a voice I had heard a million times said.

"Director Johnson. How did you get here? Where's Sharpay? Did you capture Falcon?" I asked not giving him time to answer.

"Ryan, have you still not figured it out? I expected more from one of my top agents."

Then it clicked.

"You hired Vulture." I said quietly.

He smiled.

"It was easy to convince him to help me when I told him he could have Sharpay when I was done with you. I convinced his wife, a High School friend of yours, to help me too."

"Gabriella's married to him." I said incredulously.

"It's too bad your sister won't be joining us. I sent someone to get her but she managed to escape. Her only hope of help was her partner and your friend Johnny but I told them she was abducted and their on their way back to the office for an emergency meeting. Vulture's on his way after her as we speak. She'll be dead soon and you'll shortly be joining her."

"Why us?" I asked

"You were too close to figuring out what I was doing. I have to get rid of you. Your sister was just an unfortunate casualty of war."

"What do you mean I was too close?" I questioned

" The day before I sent you on your mission you walked into my office to talk to me. You saw my plans on the desk."

"I have no idea what your talking about." I insisted.

"Maybe not now but if you thought about it I'm sure you'd figure it out." he told me.

"Boss, the bombs been activated to go of in 48 hours. We need to get out now." Gabriella said not even looking at me.

"Goodbye Ryan." The Director said leaving.

**********

Sharpay was still sitting at the café when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned to look and then she saw him. He was something straight out of her nightmares as he approached her,Vulture.


	17. Attempted Escapes

I got up and ran around the corner hoping to get far enough away that he couldn't shoot me. I ran up several streets and around so many corners I lost count.

When I couldn't run any longer I ducked into the nearest store. I was relieved to find that it had not only clothes but a section of wigs as well. I didn't waste any time grabbing clothes that I wouldn't wear normally and a bright red wig. With relief I found some money in the pocket of my pants.

After paying all the money I had I ducked into the next restaurant and changed in the bathroom. Looking in the mirror I barely recognized myself but would it fool Vulture as easily?

I needed to get on the next plane out of here but I had no ids and couldn't waste the time looking up contacts.

There was a phone booth somewhere that had money and fake ids if I could remember where it was. If I could find it and use the cash it would be completely untraceable.

I walked out slowly from the restaurant and walked up the street. I resisted the urge to run and continued at a normal pace.

I walked several miles and then saw the booth. I walked over to it and found the secret compartment. There was enough money to buy a plain ticket but only one id and passport was left and the hair color in the picture was dark black.

"I can work with this." I encouraged myself as I looked around for a store.

I found one but found that it didn't carry any wigs. I found the hair dye and grabbed the right shade of black. I purchased the dye and headed to the bathroom in the back.

I pulled the wig from my head and dyed it the deep black. To my relief it worked. I wasn't crazy about dying my own hair.

After making some mild changes with some make-up I purchased I could easily pass as the woman in the picture. I hurried from the store and walked to the airport. I was sure I would have giant blisters from the walking and running but I couldn't trust anyone who could drive me.

I made it just in time to catch a flight to just about anywhere. I thought about it for a minute and purchased a flight to Philadelphia. Who would think I would run there? I boarded the flight and hoped that I had lost Falcon for the time being. I took my seat and

laid my head back to try to get some sleep. I didn't know when I'd rest again.

**********

I had tried everything to get the handcuffs off but I couldn't do very much in this small bare room. I wished Sharpay were here as I had so many times. She could pick any lock without a problem.

I needed to get out of this room and find something to get the handcuffs off with. I stood on my feet and almost lost my balance from the awkward position the chair put me in. I threw myself against the door over and over again until it finally gave. I was thrown on the ground from the force of impact.

"What now?" I asked myself as I laid there.


	18. Race Against Time

_I went back through my story and found that I had used two names for the same character. Just to clear up any confusion. Volture and Falcon are the same person. I have gone back and corrected the names. Sorry for any confusion and thanks to all those who have reviewed. _

Troy and Johnny had taken the first flight out of London.

"Should we really be leaving the place where we last saw her?" I asked.

"Director's orders." Johnny told me.

We both sat there waiting for the plane to take off.

"There was no sign of a struggle." I pointed out.

"They probably covered their tracks."

"Sharpay would have found some way to let us no. She wouldn't go without a fight." I argued.

"How do you know?" he asked.

"I know Sharpay."

We sat in silence for several minutes.

"How did someone know where we were?" Johnny asked suddenly breaking the silence.

"The only person who knew where we were was the director." I reminded him.

"You aren't saying that he's behind this." Johnny said incredulously.

"Maybe he told someone."

"You think there's a mole in the office?" Johnny questioned.

"It would explain a lot."

"We don't have time to go to his meeting we need to find Sharpay and Ryan." Johnny said getting up.

I followed right behind him and we exited the plane.

A girl with dark black hair passed by us.

"That looked just like Sharpay." Johnny exclaimed.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course not, we aren't sure of anything."

"Let's go talk to the people at the desk." I suggested.

**********

I dreamed of a building with a river running by it. The building was completely abandoned. I easily recognized the area as New York. As my dream progressed I saw Ryan laying in a heap on the ground handcuffed to a chair.

I woke up with a start. I knew where Ryan was.

**********

As soon as we saw the picture of her on the security camera we knew it was Sharpay.

"She must have escaped." Johnny said.

I nodded absently and turned to the security guards.

"We're going to need two tickets to where she went." I told them.

"I'm sorry," the security guard said, " We don't have any other flights there but we have one going to New York."

"We'll take it." Johnny told them.


	19. Relief and Panic

Sharpay sat in her seat tapping her now perfectly filed nails on the edge of her armrest. The plane would land in about 30 minutes but even that was too long for her. The person sitting next to her was glaring but she was beyond caring.

Finally the flight attendant announced we were landing.

I began mentally making my plans for what I would do next. I would rent a car and drive there I decided. It would take me around an hour and thirty minutes but I didn't have time to wait for another flight.

As soon as we were allowed to exit the plane I hurried down the isle and out the door. I was on my way toward the car rental when a group of security guards stopped me.

"Excuse me, Ms. Evans but there's a phone call for you. The men say its extremely important."

I rolled my eyes but followed them to collect the call. We reached the office and I picked up the receiver.

"Sharpay, it's Troy."

"I don't have time to pay your ransom, Bolton." I informed him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"I thought you were kidnapped." I admitted.

"Well I though you were kidnapped." he shot back.

"Where are you?"

"On a flight to New York. We're a half an hour behind you."

"I'm renting a car. Wait there and I'll come and meet you. I know where Ryan is."

"How?"

"I don't have time to talk. I'll tell you when I get there."

"I'll call Director Johnson to send us a swat team." Troy said.

"You can't. The Director is out of town for the next three weeks."

"That's not possible he just called an emergency meeting."

"No, he left yesterday. I talked to his secretary."

"Sharpay, be careful I think he's the mole." Troy warned me.

I didn't have time to be shocked.

"Is Johnny with you?" I questioned.

"yes." Troy replied

"Have him call Tyler and send the swat team. I'll see you in an hour and a half." I told him.

"Be careful." he said as I hung up.

I ran from the security office and to the car rental. The security team had a car waiting for me and I jumped in and drove out of the airport.

I got there at exactly the right time and met the them at the side of the road. The two got in the car and I continued driving.

"Alright you want to tell us what happened?" Johnny asked.

"No time. I'll tell you when this is over."

We drove through as many back roads as we could trying to avoid the busy part of the city. Finally we pulled up to the abandoned building straight from my dream.

The swat team pulled in behind us.

"Are you sure this is it?" he asked me.

"Positive."

We sat there for at least ten minutes as everyone was assigned jobs.

As we waited for the team to finish getting ready the three of us walked a short ways from the team.

"Be careful." I told them.

"You too." Johnny gave me a hug and then headed back to the swat team.

"Let's go, Agent Evans." one of the men called.

I moved to go back to them and then turned and ran back to Troy. I leaned up on the tip of my toes and kissed him.

"I would have paid your ransom." I told him as I pulled back. He smiled as I ran to catch up with my team.

We moved through the abandoned halls quietly listening for any sound.

"First floor secure." one of the men said into a radio.

We moved up the stairs to the third floor and as we turned a corner the radio beeped.

"Sir," a voice said, "We found a bomb that's set to go off in ten minutes."

I forced myself to remain calm as the man talked back into the radio issuing orders.

I left them hurrying down the hall. I could feel that Ryan was close. As I turned another corner I saw him. He was handcuffed to a chair laying in the middle of the floor. If the circumstances were different I probably would have laughed.

"Ryan?" I asked moving closer.

"Hey Shar. What's up with the new look?" he greeted me looking up.

I sat down by him and pulled off my wig. I used one of the bobby pins that I had used to secure my hair and picked the locks easily.

I helped him to his feet and he limped at my side as I moved to the stairs. The team was waiting for us.

Two men hurried to my side and I reluctantly let them take him.

"The bomb has been diffused." a voice said from one of the radios.

Relief flooded through me as we exited the building.

They checked over Ryan in the back of a van and as soon as he emerged I hurried to give him a hug.

"Don't you ever do that to me again." I scolded as I wrapped my arms around him.

Suddenly there was a gun shot and I felt blood on my hands. Ryan had been shot.

"Ryan stay with me." I demanded.

Half the swat team drew their guns and the other half hurried to get Ryan.

I could feel Troy's arms wrap around me and pull me away.


	20. The End?

walked through the hospital with Troy at my side.

"You're a blond again, Shar." Ryan greeted me when we entered the room.

"After two hours of washing my hair." I told him perching on the edge of the bed.

Ryan had taken a bullet to his shoulder and after being air lifted back home they had rushed him into surgery. Everything had gone well and Ryan would be released from the hospital in a few weeks.

"Did I miss something?" he asked looking at Troy's hand on my shoulder.

"You missed a lot, little brother." I replied

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't call me little brother anymore."

"I never agreed to that."

He rolled his eyes and I smiled.

"So Director Johnson was the mole, Gabriella's married to an assassin, and your dating Troy." Ryan recapped.

"And we didn't catch any of them." I supplied.

"Did you figure out who shot me?" he asked.

"We were looking through the surveillance videos from across the street and it looks like Gabriella and her husband have more In common than we thought."

"Gabriella shot me?" he asked incredulously.

"That's what we saw on the tape." I answered.

We discussed the possibilities for a half an hour before Troy and I got up to leave.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Johnny and Vera are coming to see you in a little while." I told him ruffling his hair.

"Bye Shar."

"Bye Ry."

Troy and I slipped in the hall and headed to the exit.

"Your brother looks like he feels better." Troy told me.

"He's tough, there's no way he'd let a bullet keep him down"

"Sounds like another Evans I know."

I smiled as he leaned down and kissed me.

"What happened to you and Gabriella?" I asked when he pulled back.

"She just disappeared after High School. No goodbyes she just one day wasn't there. Her mother was worried sick and one day she just packed up and left. Now I have a question for you. What happened that made Vulture so mad at you?"

" I had been on a mission somewhere in Ireland. I needed to get a code from some guy's computer which he kept on his desk in the library. I had managed to sneak into the library and get the code. When I turned to leave Vulture was waiting by the door. He had a gun and was about to shoot me but I grabbed the letter opener from the desk. I threw it and it sliced his cheek. I used his distraction to get out. He was obsessed with the way he looked and I ruined his unscathed face."

The two of us rode to the office in silence thinking about what the other had said.

We walked into the office hand in hand.

Later that night we sat in the car talking. I got up to leave.

"I love you Sharpay." he told me as I opened the door.

"I love you Too Troy." I replied before getting out of the car and walking to the building.

_I'd like to say thank you to all those who have reviewed. I do have a sequel planned that should go up in the next couple of days. As soon as I can think of what to name it. _

_Sequel now up._


End file.
